He was a member of the famed Steel curtain in the 1970'ss. While I was a heavy football watcher in those days, what I remember Holmes best from was from a ABC show Superteams.(A spinoff of the show, Superstars) They matched up ten or 12 members of the last Super Bowl teams in various events. The last of which was a tug of war on a beach in Hawaii.

Pittsburgh at first was winning the tug of war, but Dallas then got the momentum and turned things around. Holmes was the Steelers man, in an effort to turn the momentum back Pittsburgh's way he ran to the front of the line, leaving someone else to be anchor. Dallas won the tug of war and that year's version of Superteams.

Somehow that television moment sticks in my mind 30 years later. RIP Ernie.

DALLAS - Ernie Holmes, who won two Super Bowls as an anchor of Pittsburgh's famed "Steel Curtain" defense in the 1970s, died in a car crash. He was 59.

Holmes was driving alone Thursday night when his car left the road and rolled several times near Lumberton, about 80 miles from Houston, a Texas Department of Public Safety dispatcher said Friday.

He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the car, and pronounced dead at the scene, the department said.

Holmes, an ordained minister, lived on a ranch in Wiergate. His death was first reported by Beaumont TV station KFDM.

The two-time All-Pro played for the Steelers from 1972-77 and spent part of the 1978 season with New England before retiring. He played on a defensive line with Steel Curtain teammates "Mean" Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood and Dwight White.

The group stayed in touch, getting together at least three or four times a year, Holmes said last year in a story on the Steelers' Web site.

"Ernie was one of the toughest players to ever wear a Steelers uniform," Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said in a statement. "He was a key member of our famous Steel Curtain defense, and many people who played against him considered Ernie almost impossible to block. At his best, he was an intimidating player who even the toughest of opponents did not want to play against."

Holmes was part of a front four in the 1975 Super Bowl that helped limit Minnesota to 17 yards rushing and 119 total yards. The Steelers won their first Super Bowl, 16-6. They were back a year later, beating Dallas 21-17 in the title game.

Holmes had a reputation for being "stone crazy," he told Time magazine in 1975. That came mostly from a case early in his career when he pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon following a bizarre episode in which he fired a pistol at trucks and a police helicopter. He was sentenced to five years' probation.

Holmes was nicknamed "Fats" for most of his life. He also was nicknamed "Arrowhead Holmes" in 1974 when he shaved his head, leaving only an arrow-shaped pattern of hair on his skull.

Holmes, who was about 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds during his career, also told the magazine he was attracted to the violence of football.

"I don't mind knocking somebody out," Holmes said. "If I hear a moan and a groan coming from a player I've hit, the adrenaline flows within me. I get more energy and play harder."

After football, Holmes had minor acting roles. He appeared in an episode of the 1980s TV show "The A-Team" and dabbled in professional wrestling.

David Kopel: International Adoption: The Human Rights Position is an article in Global Policy by Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Bartholet. A response article from Paulo Barrozo of Boston College Law School amplifies some...

There is a huge difference between a government that is "business-friendly" and a government that is "market-friendly." The Obama Administration resides squarely in the former category. First from American Thinker's...

If this doesn't nail the press' hypocrisy, nothing does: Interesting that the lamestream media, mindlessly mouthing the mantra of Sarah Palin's lack of intellectual curiosity never thought to ask John...